Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1887-12-22
W hat Some Of the Most
Successful Business Men
In the World Think
of Advertising.
Ii 1t Doesn't Pay as Some
People Say, Why Do
Men Persist i'm 1t?
A Few Of Our Opinions Up
on the Subject.


The NORTHWEST has been frequently asked,
does it pay to ADVERTISED We invariably
ans wer, it does. Being newspaper people
how ever, detracts apparently from our con-
victions upon the subject. 1t is said directly
you are self-interested in the popularity of
advertising and we should expect you to fa-
vor it. Now, while this is true to a certain
extent as matter of business, yet were we to
quit the newspaper world and engage in some
other way of making living and making
money, we would consult among the first, the
printer, and if possible, secure the highest
obtainable favor with him. The buying man
no longer makes personal inquiry as to who
are nero hants or other business men, but be
sits down in his home and by his own freside
and leisurely consults his local paper to see
who are selling the wares he needs and at
what prices.
My dear friend, whether you believe this
statement or not, it is true all the same, and
the men who in these modern days of the
most abs olute advantages, goes into his bu-
siness room and closes the door against ad-
vertising and against his local paper, will be
bankrupt in time as sure as he lives.
The great P. T. Barnum, in addressing a
body of business men, said:
''You do not, any of you, advertise enough.
You are asleep and want your business to run
tself. Standing advertisements in paper
commands confidence. The man who for a
year lives in community and leads reput-
alb le life, even though he be of moderate
a bility, will grow in the confidence and es-
te EN- of his people. On the same principle,
a newspaper advertisement becomes familiar
to the reader. It may seldom be read. Still
it makes the name and business of the man
ia miliar, and constantly appearing in the
columns of paper, inspires confidence in
the stability of the enterprise"
Probably no man living knows more of the
value of advertising than this celebrated
show wman, and in consequence his opinion is
full of weight and his statements must be ac-
cepte without any allowances whatever.
Rudulph Hertzog is the largest dry goods
merchant in Berlin. He spends 500, 900 a
year advertising. He says that before he be-
gan to advertise he barely paid his expenses.
The first year he spent 1000 marks in adver-
tising, and his income rose to 10000; then he
increased the amount every year and found
his profits increasing in proportion.
Such is the experience of every man who
has made large ventures in advertising. 1t
invariably proves to be "bread cast upon the
waters"
John Wannamaker, the great Philadelphia
merchant, once expressed himself as follows.
And while we do not agree with Mr.. Wanna
maker in all he says, especially in regard to
hand bills and posters, yet his statements
with regard to advertising in the newspaper
were made after part of life time of bu-
siness experience and are therefore in the
main correct. He says:
II never in my life used such thing as a
poster or dodger or hand bin. My plan for
fifteen years has heen to buy so much space
in newspaper and fill 1t up with what /
wanted. Iwould not give an advertisement
in newspaper Of four hundred circulation
for 5000 dodgers or posters. II wanted to
sell cheap iewelry or run lottery scheme,
might use posters, but I would not insult a
decent reading public with handbills. The
class of people who read such things are poor
material to look to for support in mercantile
affairs. How do reach newspapers? I dc
it in this manner; never deal with advertis.
ing agents. They always get the profit the